Patent Application
20120186552
The present invention is generally related to air intake flow devices and systems, and more particularly to a device which may be used to couple an air intake conduit having a first internal diameter to an air intake having a second, smaller, external diameter and to a system comprising selected components.
Relatively large internal diameter air intake kits are frequently used to increase the performance of existing internal combustions engines, such as those used in modern vehicles. The intake kits may have relatively larger internal diameters than original equipment manufacturer intakes to increase the volume of air delivered to the engine and to reduce pressure losses from the air filter to the engine's air intake or turbocharger inlet. While such air intakes may initially have intake conduits with larger internal diameters than corresponding original equipment manufacturer parts, they frequently taper down to mate with the engine's intake, such as a turbocharger, which may have an intake flange with a relatively smaller external diameter. For example, a turbocharger may have an air intake flange with an external diameter of approximately 2.875 inches. If the intake conduit has an initial internal diameter of 3.875 inches, such as where it mates to an air filter, that internal diameter will frequently reduce down to approximately 2.875″ to mate with the intake flange of the turbocharger. When the diameter is shrunk from one end of the conduit to the next, air flow may be reduced, there may be undesirable steps in the conduit, and/or there may be flow inhibiting shapes present in the conduit. This may cause undesirable interruptions to the flow of intake air, undesirable pressure differentials, and may detrimentally impact performance. Further, it may be economically desirable for an air intake manufacturer to produce air intakes generally having a fixed configuration. Accordingly, the internal diameter of the portion of the air intake conduit that mates to a turbocharger of a particular vehicle may be too large for another vehicle. Further, when a manufacturer changes the intake flange dimensions of, for example, a turbocharger, a new intake conduit may need to be made to accept the newly-sized intake flange. It may therefore be prohibitively expensive for an air intake conduit manufacturer to constantly be retooling its products for only slightly different applications. Additionally, a coupler may need to be used to bridge the intake flange of the turbocharger with the intake conduit. The coupler ray incorporate ridges therein which may further impede and/or disturb air flow. In addition, the coupler may need to be coupled on one side to the air intake conduit, and on the other side to the intake flange-necessitating two clamps to secure the air intake to the turbocharger. What is needed is an intake flow device configured to efficiently transfer air from an air intake conduit to an intake flange.
Non-exclusive, non-limiting embodiments of the invention illustrated herein provide an intake flow device in the form of a collar having an inner surface with a first diameter, outer surface with a second diameter, and a graduated side surface for directing aft flow. The flow device may be configured to fit onto a turbocharger's compressor intake flange or onto the intake flange of a normally-aspirated engine. The collar may be formed from a rubber-like material such as polyurethane, silicone, or other suitable materials designed to comply with, and effectively seal the engine's intake tract in the proximity of the intake opening, such as the turbocharger's compressor intake.
In application, the flexible collar may be placed over the intake flange of, for example, a turbocharger's compressor. The fit may be an interference fit such that the collar is positively located on the intake flange. As such, the outer diameter of the intake flange along its outer surface may be slightly larger than the internal diameter of the collar along its inner surface. The collar may also incorporate a recess along at least a portion of its inner surface. The recess may be configured to conform to a lip on the compressor's intake flange or to the end or another portion of the intake flange. Further more, an end of the collar opposite from the graduated end may be configured to lie flush with a side surface of the turbocharger's compressor. The combination of the snug interference fit, recess, and abutting arrangement may help the collar stay in place on the flange. A front portion of the collar, in some cases corresponding to portions of the graduation, may also drape over the intake flange such that there is a smooth, uninterrupted flow of air from the intake conduit to the compressor's blades.
The intake conduit may have an internal diameter generally corresponding to the outer diameter of the collar or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the collar to form another interference fit. As such, one may place the intake conduit on the collar (already fitted to the intake flange) to seal the compressor's intake. Therefore, in some embodiments, the intake conduit may be formed with a relatively constant internal diameter, from end to end, that supports high air flow. Further, the intake conduit may be shaped and tuned for desired air flow characteristic such as increased throttle response and reduced lag in turbocharged applications. Such shaping and tuning may include, but is not limited to, varying the internal diameter, incorporating chambers, and creating different geometries in the intake conduit to support the desired air flow characteristics. A clamp or band may be used to tighten the conduit around the collar. The intake conduit may also incorporate openings around its diameter, such as slots, that, when tightened around the collar, compress to make a tight seal against the collar. The collar may also incorporate ribs on its outer surface capable of compressing when the intake conduit is fitted thereto, to increase the effectiveness of the seal. Further, the collar may incorporate flanges or vanes therein to direct air flow to the compressor wheel effectively. Said vanes may be configured in a variety of different fashions and may be straight or angled depending on application.
The collar may also be formed with a graduated front surface on one end such that air flowing from the intake conduit may smoothly transfer from the larger diameter of the intake conduit to the smaller diameter of the intake flange. This graduation may take different sizes and shapes depending on application. Such collars may be formed with different internal and external dimensions such that they can be capable of coupling different sized intake conduits to different sized intake flanges and may also be configured to work with naturally aspirated vehicles by mating to an intake flange of an engine's intake, rather than its compressor.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not by limitation in the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:
Skilled artisans appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.
Collar 10 has an inner surface 12, outer surface 14, distal end 16, and proximal end 18. The inner surface 12 has an inner diameter that may be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of an intake flange that it may be mounted to. In particular, in the case of a turbocharger application, as shown in
As shown in
Referring to
In the embodiment shown in
Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element of any or all the claims. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. The terms “a” or “an” as used herein, are defined as one, or more than one. The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two, or more than two. The term “another”, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having”, as used herein, are defined as “comprising” (i.e., open language). The term “attached”, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.
